Chapter 13
Bootstilla nodded at Alador's question. "Yes," she said. "She paid me with fake money in hopes that I'd kidnap your granddaughters."
Alador's eyes widened in surprise. "My granddaughters?" He asked before looking at Mila and Solana, who hid behind Luz, peeking out at the man who hugged their mom.
Luz smiled and looked at her daughters. "It's okay, mijas," she said reassuringly. "This is your grandpa. He's your mom's dad and he's really nice, like Grandma Eda and Abuela."
Solana came forward and looked up at her grandfather pensively. Alador smiled at her. "Hello, little one," he said. "What's your name?"
"Solana," the little girl said before gesturing behind her to the young girl that had been slowly walking towards them. "And that's my sister, Mila."
He smiled again before looking at Amity. "Finally decided to bring your kids to meet their grandpa, huh?" He asked playfully.
His playful words made the somber mood vanish and Luz, Nabo, and Calabaza chuckled while Bootstilla tried and failed to hide the huge smile on her face and Amity laughed, which made her daughters giggle. "Oh, Dad," the purple-haired girl said, a smile on her face before looking at her daughters.
"Girls, this is your grandpa Alador," she said, smiling.
Just then, two others that looked like twins came out and both gasped at seeing the group. "Amity! Luz!" The female called out, running up to them.
Luz smiled. "Emira! Edric!" She said, hugging the green-haired woman as she scooped her up into a hug.
Edric scooped Amity up into a hug. "Are you okay?" He asked her in concern. "It's all over the scrolls about what Mom did."
"That's why we're here," Amity said before gesturing behind her. "Mom tried to hire Bootstilla to work for her, but Bootstilla instead began guarding me and Luz and our daughters."
Emira looked worried. "But...I thought Bootstilla was dangerous," she said.
"I can be," Bootstilla said. "But that doesn't mean I don't have morals."
"Fair point," Alador said with a nod. "Besides, she brought Calabaza and Nabo with her."
Luz was surprised. "You know them?" She asked.
"Know them?" Alador chuckled. "I went to school with Nabo."
Nabo chuckled and went up to them. "Alador, it's good to see you," he said, clasping his friend's forearm in greeting and Alador did the same. "How have you been?"
"Things have been well," the brown-haired man said.
Seeing Nabo greet Alador like an old friend helped Solana and Mila relax, which Calabaza noticed. Emira looked over to see the two girls and gasped softly, her hands over her mouth in surprise before she looked at Luz. "Are those two...my nieces?" She asked hopefully. "I'm an auntie?"
Luz chuckled. "Yes and yes," she said.
Emira squealed happily. "I'm an auntie!" She giggled out.
Mila giggled at seeing her aunt act so silly. Edric chuckled. "Oh, she's going to spoil those two to pieces," he said.
"And you won't?" Amity countered with a knowing smirk. "You can't fool me. You're just as happy to be an uncle like Emira is happy to be an aunt."
Edric chuckled and ruffled his younger sister's hair. "It's about time you made me an uncle," he said teasingly.
She growled at him playfully and gently batted his hand away, smoothing her hair down.
Solana and Mila went up to Emira, who beamed at them. "Oh, you two are just so cute!" She said. "I can't wait to start spoiling you two. In fact, who wants cookies?"
Luz saw her daughters light up at that and she nodded to Emira. "You two be good and mind Aunt Emira, okay?" She said to her daughters.
"Yes, Mama," Solana said and Mila echoed her before Emira scooped them both up into her arms and carried them into her home. Edric smiled and looked at Amity.
"Don't worry," he said. "Em and I will keep the girls safe."
"Thanks, Ed," she said. "Can you and Em watch over them while Luz and I fill Dad in on what's going on?"
He nodded and headed into the house while Alador invited the others inside his home, taking them to the living room and the Abominations he called up brought in refreshments. "Now, tell me what happened," Alador said.
The two women told him about how they bought a house and how they found their daughters and adopted them and how they met Calabaza, Bootstilla, and Nabo, the latter two having been hired by Odalia to try and kidnap Solana and Mila, but had instead gone against Odalia's wishes and became guardians for Luz, Amity, and their daughters.
"Odalia paid me with fake money," Bootstilla said. "I knew it as soon as she agreed to pay me three-quarters of the fee I gave her to hire me."
"She didn't pay me, but I was already aware that she might call me," Nabo said. "Whispers have been spreading, along with rumors about Odalia gaining any magic she can find and she has spies, which is how she learned about your granddaughters."
"She also has a bounty on her own head," Calabaza said. "The council wants her to face punishment for her crimes."
Alador nodded, looking sad. "I wish I could tell you where she is, but not even I know," he said.
"Don't worry, Alador," Bootstilla said. "I'll continue searching for her while we're here. She's not coming near the girls again."
He nodded. "I know what the rumors have said about you and honestly, I'm glad you're on our side," he said.
The bounty hunter smiled. "I think we can agree some of those rumors are exaggerated," she said.
Nabo and Calabaza laughed in amusement, which made Luz, Amity, and Alador laugh too, the purple-haired woman feeling better before she looked at her dad. "Dad?" She asked, seeing him look at her. "Is it okay if Luz, me, and the girls stay with you until Mom is caught?"
"Of course," he said. "The Abominations have been setting up your rooms here while we've been visiting."
He looked at the scarecrows and bounty hunter. "You three are also welcome to stay," he said.
"Thank you, Alador," Calabaza said.
"Yes, thank you," Bootstilla said.
"You're very generous, old friend," Nabo said.
"You three helped to protect my family," the inventor said.
Emira came in with Mila and Solana, both girls looking happy with chocolate smeared on their faces, making their parents laugh. "I hope you guys are staying for a bit, Mittens," Emira said, a teasing note in her voice. "My nieces need to spend some time with their fun aunt and uncle."
"We'll be staying here for a bit, yes," Luz said.
"If I allow the girls to hang out with you and Ed, I don't want you guys doing anything dangerous, okay?" Amity said.
"Since when do Ed and I do that?" Emira asked playfully, but winked at Amity, who knew that meant her sister would make sure the girls were always safe with her and Edric, who came in right then.
"Hey, sis, I think your chocolate cake fell," he said.
Emira flew to the house to check while Edric handed the girls two slices of chocolate cake, making Luz laugh. "Sneaky," she said to him.
"Have to show why I deserve the title of fun uncle," he said playfully.
"Ed!" Emira said in exasperation, tackling her brother, who laughed and the girls laughed too.
"Auntie Em and Uncle Ed are silly," Solana said.
"Yeah, they are," Amity said, smiling fondly.
Luz chuckled. "I think it's good that they can spend time with the girls," she said. "It'll get their minds off of Odalia."
"And if she does come here, we can trust Ed and Em to keep the girls safe," the purple-haired girl said with a nod.
Calabaza, Nabo, and Bootstilla were quiet, but were also thinking of ways to catch Odalia.
She had to be stopped and soon.
Solana and Mila now have a protective grandpa and a protective aunt and uncle. :)
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GoldGuardian2418
